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HoneyguideMon, 08 Jan 2018 00:42:16 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.5Saving Elephants, Simple Solutionshttp://www.honeyguide.org/news/saving-elephants-simple-solutions/
http://www.honeyguide.org/news/saving-elephants-simple-solutions/#respondSat, 02 Dec 2017 11:13:55 +0000http://www.honeyguide.org/?p=13453Honeyguide is working with local communities to provide simple solutions to human-wildlife conflict. Through the innovative use of basic tools and materials, Honeyguide’s Human Elephant Conflict Toolkit is enabling communities to live peacefully alongside elephants, supporting both conservation and livelihoods. Between 2009- 2014, Tanzania lost 60% of its elephant population to poaching. While most instances

]]>Honeyguide is working with local communities to provide simple solutions to human-wildlife conflict. Through the innovative use of basic tools and materials, Honeyguide’s Human Elephant Conflict Toolkit is enabling communities to live peacefully alongside elephants, supporting both conservation and livelihoods.

Between 2009- 2014, Tanzania lost 60% of its elephant population to poaching. While most instances of poaching is not carried out by local communities, it is closely tied to human-wildlife conflict. In just one night, a farmer can lose several acres of crops if elephants invade a farm, resulting in significant hardship for whole families and villages. Farmers who try to protect their crops from raiding elephants are often injured in the process, causing resentment towards these large mammals. In 2016, 3 people were attacked in West Kilimanjaro by elephants, tragically resulting in fatal injury. Local communities will not support anti-poaching rangers if the very same elephants that the poachers are killing, are destroying their livelihoods. Honeyguide believe that positive engagement with local communities is essential to conservation efforts, and that in order to do this, the negative costs of wildlife on these communities must be minimized.

As human populations grow, natural areas are reduced, and human-wildlife conflict increases, communities have trialed various methods to prevent elephants from entering their farms; sadly the only effective method until recently was to kill the elephants. Honeyguide has responded to this challenge in the Tarangire and Kilimanjaro areas and developed the Human Elephant Conflict toolkit (HEC); an assortment of tools to help farmers deter elephants from raiding farms, without risk of harm to farmer or elephants.

So, how does it work? The HEC toolkit is simple, targeting the elephant’s sense of sight, sound and taste, with tools ranging from low irritant to high impact for the more pervasive bulls. In each kit, is a flashlight, a horn, a chilli cracker (proudly invented by Honeyguide), and for the more inquisitive elephant bulls, a roman candle launcher. The flashlight targets eyesight, simply bothering the elephants until they move away; this is low irritation, cheap to use and has been one of the most useful components of the toolkit. The horn targets hearing, another low irritant, low cost tool. The chilli cracker is highly effective, using only gravel, chilli, a detonator and a condom! See the image below for the Honeyguide chilli cracker guide. If all that fails, the roman candle launcher is set off with 100% effectiveness.

These toolkits have proven to be a huge success. Farmers are reporting harvesting nearly their whole crop, compared to a 70% loss previously. In Honeyguide protected areas, 330 tonnes of maize were protected from elephant raids. Not only are the toolkits protecting elephants, they are improving livelihoods and changing attitudes.

“Since we started using these kits, no communities have been killed and no elephants, we see the value of these kits…after the crop harvest wildlife can pass over our farms freely” member of Kakoi Songambele village.

Watch our video on the impact of the flashlight.

Word of the program has spread far and wide, well beyond Honeyguide’s focus areas. With the request from many communities from further afield asking for support, Honeyguide has responded by developing the Human Elephant Conflict handbook that will be distributed to farmers in elephant prone areas. The 28-page Honeyguide developed handbook is written in Swahili, and aims to educate farmers on the successes and proper usage of the toolkits, and the value of peacefully coexisting with the wildlife.

If you would like to share this booklet with your local community, download the Swahili booklet here>DOWNLOAD HWC HANDBOOK

Honeyguide continues to research HEC measures and other innovative ways to prevent human elephant conflicts. It is hoped that with support from our donors, as well as contributions from local communities, this will develop into a long-term sustainable project that becomes an integral component of farming near wildlife areas here in Tanzania.

]]>http://www.honeyguide.org/news/saving-elephants-simple-solutions/feed/0Mother and Baby Elephant Rescued after Being Trapped in a Mud Holehttp://www.honeyguide.org/news/mother-baby-elephant-rescued-trapped-mud-hole-three-days/
http://www.honeyguide.org/news/mother-baby-elephant-rescued-trapped-mud-hole-three-days/#respondSat, 22 Jul 2017 07:19:27 +0000http://www.honeyguide.org/?p=13340 On Wednesday, a mother elephant and her calf were rescued after being trapped for 48 hours in a six-meter-deep mud hole in Randilen WMA, Northern Tanzania. The baby elephant and her mother were spotted by the Honeyguide Aircraft on a routine aerial surveillance patrol, the pilot called in the Randilen ranger patrol

On Wednesday, a mother elephant and her calf were rescued after being trapped for 48 hours in a six-meter-deep mud hole in Randilen WMA, Northern Tanzania.

The baby elephant and her mother were spotted by the Honeyguide Aircraft on a routine aerial surveillance patrol, the pilot called in the Randilen ranger patrol that was nearby with the coordinates of the elephants.

Christopher John, Randilen WMA Anti-Poaching Commander who headed the rescue team arrived within 30 minutes and realized that he would need help, he spoke to Meshurie Melembuki, the Randilen WMA manager for advice. Meshurie called in volunteers from the local community as they decided the only way to rescue the elephant would be to dig the banks of the well and create a ramp for the elephant to walk out. After nine hours of nonstop digging all night, the elephants were finally able to walk up the ramp and were free to rejoin the family herd that was nearby.

“It was a tough job but our passion for our wildlife pushed us to finish the job.” said Meshurie Melembuki, Manager of Randilen CWMA

]]>http://www.honeyguide.org/news/mother-baby-elephant-rescued-trapped-mud-hole-three-days/feed/0Anti-Poaching Commander Lembris’ Childrens’ Education Fundhttp://www.honeyguide.org/news/anti-poaching-commander-lembris-childrens-education-fund/
http://www.honeyguide.org/news/anti-poaching-commander-lembris-childrens-education-fund/#respondMon, 05 Jun 2017 08:22:51 +0000http://www.honeyguide.org/?p=13193Help us raise £1,500 for our late Anti-Poaching Commander Lembris' children. We are raising funds in honor of our dear great friend, the late Commander Lempris of Honeyguide Foundation's Anti-Poaching Ranger, Tracker Dog Unit, in Northern Tanzania. Lempris recently died after a valiant battle with a brain tumor. He was a huge asset to the

We are raising funds in honor of our dear great friend, the late Commander Lempris of Honeyguide Foundation‘s Anti-Poaching Ranger, Tracker Dog Unit, in Northern Tanzania. Lempris recently died after a valiant battle with a brain tumor. He was a huge asset to the Dog Unit and the first Commander at the outset of Honeyguide Organization’s Dog Unit – dedicated to obstructing the poaching of elephant and other wildlife in West Kilimanjaro, and further afield in Northern Tanzania. Lempris truly has left an indelible mark on all the men he worked with, his devoted family, and his many friends.

Lempris was only 47 when he died. He leaves behind 7 children and his wife Ann, whose eyes reflect the pain of his loss.

Honeyguide is organising a fundraising campaign for Lempris’ children’s school fees, and additional finances to assist his wife Ann on their ‘shamba’ small-holding.

With Ann, he brought up strong and motivated children, who will no doubt make both their parents proud. Both Honeyguide and Photography4Life want to help ensure this is possible with a fundraising campaign to cover the cost of his children’s continued education.

A minimum of £1,500.00 is required to keep the 7 children (2 of whom are pursuing further education and are in their early twenties) in school for the next 12 months. Honeyguide Organization and BigLife Foundation have been supporting Lembris and the family throughout his operations and hospitalization. Now they need assistance to support the children’s continued education.

We stand united in the belief that in educating Tanzania’s young generation lays the survival of the country’s wildlife and natural resources.

Whether actively involved in conservation or not; their educated knowledge and views will play a key role.

]]>http://www.honeyguide.org/news/anti-poaching-commander-lembris-childrens-education-fund/feed/0Educational Film Brings Awareness and Dialogue to WMA Communitieshttp://www.honeyguide.org/news/educational-film-brings-awareness-dialogue-wma-communities/
http://www.honeyguide.org/news/educational-film-brings-awareness-dialogue-wma-communities/#respondMon, 29 May 2017 10:01:37 +0000http://www.honeyguide.org/?p=13048A recent month-long film roadshow helped spread awareness and foster dialogue with Randilen Wildlife Management Area (WMA) communities in rural Tanzania. Locally-produced, and including influential community leaders, the film helped educate locals about Randilen WMA’s achievements, function and its challenges along the way. Screenings were backed up with question and answer sessions, fostering a growing

A recent month-long film roadshow helped spread awareness and foster dialogue with Randilen Wildlife Management Area (WMA) communities in rural Tanzania. Locally-produced, and including influential community leaders, the film helped educate locals about Randilen WMA’s achievements, function and its challenges along the way. Screenings were backed up with question and answer sessions, fostering a growing dialogue between communities and Honeyguide.

After a month of planning and groundwork, Honeyguide’s screening team took their film to rural communities from Engasit village to Lengoolwa. The team of one event manager, a film operator, two data collectors, and a driver, used the film and follow up discussions to educate the village communities about the WMA, and answer their questions about how it affects them locally.

Community gathered for screening at Randilen WMA

Running from the 23rd of March to the 19th of April, the film was screened 36 times in 8 villages, reaching 7 294 locals adjacent to Randilen WMA. The process involved survey questions asked before each screening. After the film was shown, follow-up interviews and group discussions were held. The viewers were very pleased to see their local leaders in the video, giving them a sense of ownership in Randilen WMA.

“I always thought WMA was Mzungu’s property, but now I know I’m the owner.” one of the locals said.

Through the forums of group discussion and post-survey questionnaires, viewers were happy to openly speak up on the film’s topics, including the new climate-resistant breeds of cattle the film introduced. Encouragingly, many were willing to reduce their large numbers of livestock to smaller, healthier herds of these better breeds, able to withstand long drought and produce higher milk yields.

“I now prefer to have fewer cattle but stronger ones.” Said a local Maasai.

Four village leaders asked for repeated film screenings, as they felt the message was vital for every member of their communities.

Running the screening was an expensive exercise, but worthwhile in spreading knowledge to remote villages about conservation, income distribution, and the benefits it holds for their livelihoods in Tanzania’s fastest growing WMA. Honeyguide firmly believes the art of film is a key tool in changing community behavior.

]]>http://www.honeyguide.org/news/educational-film-brings-awareness-dialogue-wma-communities/feed/0Increasing Accountability to Improve Outcomeshttp://www.honeyguide.org/news/increasing-accountability-to-improve-outcomes/
http://www.honeyguide.org/news/increasing-accountability-to-improve-outcomes/#respondThu, 04 May 2017 09:08:35 +0000http://www.honeyguide.org/?p=13013Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) conserve the wilderness, protect the habitat, and promote sustainable economic development that minimizes its impact on local ecosystems. With such ambitious objectives, it’s no surprise that a diversity of professional expertise is required. Accounting, however, probably isn’t the first discipline that springs to mind. Samuel Saruni Mollel. Photo courtesy of

]]>Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) conserve the wilderness, protect the habitat, and promote sustainable economic development that minimizes its impact on local ecosystems. With such ambitious objectives, it’s no surprise that a diversity of professional expertise is required. Accounting, however, probably isn’t the first discipline that springs to mind.

Samuel Saruni Mollel, who works at Randilen WMA in northern Tanzania, may be on track to change that. As the first-ever professional accountant to be employed at one of Tanzania’s 38 WMAs, he is making a big impact—and not just on the balance sheet.

Advanced management skills yield financial and ecological returns.

Wildlife is central to the country’s economy, perhaps nowhere more than in northern Tanzania, where it helps draw tourism to some of Africa’s most popular destinations, such as Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, and Tarangire. Because of this, the financial stability of a WMA is vital to the long-term sustainability of its local communities.

In that regard, Randilen appears to be in good hands. Samuel, 33, has combined his pastoralist and finance knowledge (he holds a Bachelor of Finance Management degree) to help Randilen better align its money with its mission for the past two years. He ensures the WMA’s budget is on target, tracks records from tourist entrance gates, collects revenue from the Tanzania Wildlife Authority (TAWA), and prepares financial reports to present to the community through a designated body. Samuel says,

“I am delighted to sit in this visible position, because I know exactly where we are—and our next destination.”

Based on the Randilen’s results thus far, its next destination will be a good one. During Samuel’s stint at the WMA, it has increased its gate collections nearly 20 percent. “This shows our facilities, services, collections, and recording system have improved,” Samuel says. “And never forget professional personnel like me!” he adds, excitedly pointing at himself.

Samuel credits Honeyguide with helping him become such an effective finance manager through on-the-job training, related courses, and mentorship. “Since I joined the WMA,” he says, “I am trained and proficient at using some of the financial e-tools, including YNAB and QuickBooks.” He believes his accounting expertise will eventually help Randilen become a model of strong conservation and community management for all others to follow.

Nevertheless, for Samuel, his work is less about managing money than about making a positive impact on his home—and that of his two children. After all, he comes from Naitolia, one of eight villages in the WMA. “My motivation is toward my people around here,” he says.

“I can sense my impact on every move I make and that is most important to me.”

]]>In the first week of March 2017, Honeyguide Chairman Mr. Naphtal Ole Kirimbai, Anti-Poaching Commander, John Magembe, and Keko Orkijape, Honeyguide’s Community Liaison Officer paid a visit to Makame Wildlife Management Area (WMA) to introduce a new anti-poaching project due to start in May 2017.

Located in the southern Maasai steppe south east of Tarangire, Makame is Tanzania’s largest WMA. The area is an important wildlife corridor, crucial to the existence of the Tarangire National Park. Makame’s landscape is composed primarily of open woodlands and mixed shrubland. It contains an important assemblage of wildlife, including the big five, and such rare species as oryx, lesser kudu, eland, gerenuk, klipspringer, and bushbuck. The area is supported by the five villages of Makame, Ndedo, Ngabolo, Katikati and Ilkiushoibor in Kiteto District, Manyara Region.

The one-week visit covered the basics of operations and tactics required for the successful implementation of an anti-poaching campaign. Key requirements, strategic areas, and the challenges that village game scouts encounter in protecting wildlife and critical habitat were also discussed.

This visit built upon a previous April 2016 memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the USAID-funded Northern Tanzania Rangeland Initiative (NTRI) and Kiteto District Council, for anti-poaching and wildlife protection. The implementation will rest in the hands of Honeyguide organization, through Endangered Ecosystems of Northern Tanzania

Group photo. Kneeling from left Mr.Keko-Community Liaison Officer-Honeyguide with the Makame WMA Authorised Association Members in front of the WMA office

Honeyguide, together with the community, enable the WMA governance structures to build capacity. Makame WMA is among the community-owned conservation areas that will benefit through the USAID-EENT project. This will help to integrate traditional conservation and natural resources practices in new models for WMA.

“The residents believe that by having a well organized WMA, wildlife will increase, and provide satisfactory prey ground. Through this, their livestock will be protected from wild animal attacks. This is an encouraging indication to us to extend our operation in working with this community.”

]]>http://www.honeyguide.org/news/honeyguide-visits-makame-to-introduce-2017-anti-poaching-project/feed/0Lion Cub Rescuehttp://www.honeyguide.org/news/lion-cub-rescue/
http://www.honeyguide.org/news/lion-cub-rescue/#respondMon, 27 Mar 2017 09:05:43 +0000http://www.honeyguide.org/?p=12954‘Let nature take its course’ an English phrase simply meaning let there be no human intervention. This was about to happen to a lone lion cub named Kali when her pride fed on a buffalo, and she accidentally found herself trapped under the carcass. After an exhausting five-hour ordeal, a Honeyguide and partners rescue gave

]]>‘Let nature take its course’ an English phrase simply meaning let there be no human intervention. This was about to happen to a lone lion cub named Kali when her pride fed on a buffalo, and she accidentally found herself trapped under the carcass. After an exhausting five-hour ordeal, a Honeyguide and partners rescue gave her a second chance at survival.

On their morning game drive two clients with their driver from Mantis Photography Co saw two Maasai warrior in the far distance, crossing the Manyara Ranch conservancy area. The men were surrounding something that the clients couldn’t recognise. They couldn’t sure of they have killed a lion for retaliatory motives – a common occurrence in these parts. The driver quickly called his manager and explained the situation:

“I quickly called the Ranch manager, his team, and the Honeyguides Rangers. We all ran towards the scene.”

A female lion cub was found under the carcass. Almost half of her front body, including head and front legs, were pinned beneath a 1500-pound male African cape buffalo.

“What we found was unusual and shocked us. So many questions clicked into my head, like how and what happened to her to be under the carcass.” said Mr. Wayne Stanton, Mantis Manager.

The men lifted up the buffalo and pulled away from the dehydrated cub. They gave her saline solvent solution and glucose to help her regain energy. The Ranch manager, Ole Kashe said,

“The evening before, I saw her with rest of the family. By the time we discovered her lying under the carcass it was 04:30 PM. Probably, she could have been there since morning. She has the luck to be alive!”

Kali the lion cub, unconscious after being pulled from under the carcass.

After a week of good treatment and spoon-feeding from the rangers, the lion cub started to regain strength and feed on her own. The name “Kali” (Swahili for “Fierce”) was given to her due to her irritable behavior while in treatment protection. The name suited her well; though the rangers felt she needed more time for get fully fit, on 9th night of recovery she managed to jump out of her cage after hearing her mother’s voice roaring nearby the ranger’s post.

The team searched hard to find the escaped cub, with eventual success. Honeyguide team leader ranger Sailepu Mahenga said, “After a day of searching, we found her enjoying lunch with her rejoined family. This was an excited moment for all of us.”

“After a day of searching, we found her enjoying lunch with her rejoined family.”

Kali standing in the middle with her color mother on the right.

Kali is the only female within her pride of the current seven cubs from two different mothers led by a color lioness mother. Being a future breeding mother and probably dominant female within her group gives her with vital ecological value. The cub family resides Korongoni /Makuyuni river which passes along Manyara Ranch Conservancy. This area is well monitored by partners and investors in the ranch.

A team led by Honeyguide, Manyara Ranch Conservancy, Mantis Photograph Co, and Tarangire Lion Project, succeeded in giving Kali a second chance. Their passion and determination made this exercise a remarkable success.

]]>http://www.honeyguide.org/news/lion-cub-rescue/feed/0Honeyguide Opened Environmentally Sound Buildings at Randilen WMAhttp://www.honeyguide.org/news/honeyguide-opened-environmentally-sound-buildings-randilen-wma/
http://www.honeyguide.org/news/honeyguide-opened-environmentally-sound-buildings-randilen-wma/#respondTue, 14 Feb 2017 14:27:14 +0000http://www.honeyguide.org/?p=12924A full furnished open office, meeting room and two resident’s houses are in a place Last week, the Honeyguide a community-based not-for-profit conservation organization team took a trip to the Randilen WMA to develop annual work plan for the year 2017 by incorporating Honeyguide and the WMA work plan in a sense to produce a

]]>A full furnished open office, meeting room and two resident’s houses are in a place

Last week, the Honeyguide a community-based not-for-profit conservation organization team took a trip to the Randilen WMA to develop annual work plan for the year 2017 by incorporating Honeyguide and the WMA work plan in a sense to produce a collective work plan for conservation in the wildlife management area. The WMA is one of the prominent and fastest growing in Tanzania with funding supports from the USAID through NTRI alliance of conservation and development organization with a prime lead from the Nature Conservancy (TNC). The Management area’s daily anti-poaching strategies, mitigation of the human-wildlife conflict and managements of the natural resources supports amongst the services provided by the Honeyguide.

The NTRI project have been instrumental in the development of Randilen and its new buildings, gates and other infrastructures that will help improve the conservation mission. The Honeyguide team, TNC and Randilen WMA management held two days meeting on work plan in the new hall just finished last week.

The team inside new building during work plan discussion. Picture @Honeyguides’ Library

According to Honeyguide’s Office Administrator the buildings are made up of one large open office, the meeting room and the staff houses enough to accommodate two families. “The buildings are pre-fabrications materials which are environmentally friendly with low cost, this will be a case modal to other WMA’s” Fadhili Madava.

After enjoying the new atmosphere of the working environment within the meeting hall, everyone gathered to celebrate the opening by eating fresh barbecue goat meat and sharing stories. Some members spent a few hours in the morning on a game drive to see the overall layout of the area and witnessed big groups of grazing cattle coming in to feed on the drought reserves that Randilen WMA provides herders.

]]>http://www.honeyguide.org/news/honeyguide-opened-environmentally-sound-buildings-randilen-wma/feed/0Volunteering assists, given a second chance for a lucky bull giraffehttp://www.honeyguide.org/news/volunteering-assists-given-second-chance-lucky-bull-giraffe/
http://www.honeyguide.org/news/volunteering-assists-given-second-chance-lucky-bull-giraffe/#respondThu, 02 Feb 2017 16:40:14 +0000http://www.honeyguide.org/?p=12913“We had just arrived back to camp, after a long walk to the abdomen hotel on the mountain. It was around 12 pm when we received the news that juvenile bull giraffe had been trapped in sodium pool (the Sinya old Sinya mines)” Kara Memet start to narrate. Along with the other two volunteers, Honeyguide's

]]>“We had just arrived back to camp, after a long walk to the abdomen hotel on the mountain. It was around 12 pm when we received the news that juvenile bull giraffe had been trapped in sodium pool (the Sinya old Sinya mines)” Kara Memet start to narrate. Along with the other two volunteers, Honeyguide’s given them a chance at Enduimet to experience a vast community owned wildlife management area. At the beginning of their second week, they had to do a tough, however pleasant job.

The giraffe had been in the pool since early hours of that morning, so it was important to remove it quickly or it will become exhausted and die. The group includes three volunteers and three Honeyguides led-rangers headed to the scene. They find that it had become stuck around 6 meters from the bank. Again, the pool has a thick layer of crust over its surface which conceals layer of mud below. This tricked the giraffe into thinking it was solid ground and it wondered straight onto pool. Thinking about what to do, then realized they need a rope and picked up four large pieces of fallen wood for the platform.

At first the giraffe was still laying, exhausted, didn’t even allowed the rescue team to wash his face and clear his eyes and nose of mud. After around 15 minutes he managed to raise his head, and after a further 10 minutes he slowly rose to his feet.

Struggling a great deal, but by the time they laid out the logs to get close enough, the stranded giraffe could barely raise his head from the mud.

With a final great heave, they managed to pull the giraffe free from the pool and onto the bank, although they were happy to have him free but very worried about his health as he didn’t seem to have enough energy to lift his head. Quick as possible, one man gathered some water from an adjacent pool and proceeded to clean his face so that he could see and breathe without obstruction.

Although he hadn’t gone in as far as previously and the team knew it could be easier to get him out this time. Jonas Hurter a volunteer went far “We were all worried that he may succumb to his exhaustion after another struggle. Nevertheless we didn’t give up, and waded into the water and tied the rope around his waist. We begin the same routine of pulling him closer every time he struggled, until the rope was close enough to be the car”

After this point, it was up to him to summon the energy to rise to his feet but again, the team did what they could by facing him in the appropriate direction, and persuading him to rise. After a good 20 minutes he suddenly rose his head. The guys were so pleased to see to his feet. They stood next to him and he would slowly walk with them to safety. He then began to run as fast as his tired body could carry him until he was off the horizon

“I cannot begin to explain what an amazing experience it was for us volunteers and all of the guides (of whom made it possible for us to experience and take pet in such an incredible rescue mission” Jack Simidian explained.

]]>http://www.honeyguide.org/news/volunteering-assists-given-second-chance-lucky-bull-giraffe/feed/0Exploring the other side of Randilenhttp://www.honeyguide.org/news/exploring-side-randilen/
http://www.honeyguide.org/news/exploring-side-randilen/#respondTue, 24 Jan 2017 09:17:39 +0000http://www.honeyguide.org/?p=12895Get to find how Randilen WMA, has managed to solve the grazing issue by communally transforming about 48,0000 acres into a green zone for pasturing during dry season and having 6000 acres as all year grazing field. http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/magazine/soundliving/Exploring-the-other-side-of-Randilen/1843780-3782932-hnalh6/index.html